Prologue
I'm running; fast as I can. If I let that… thing get me, it'll be the end of everything. His seductive charm wasn't enough to woo me. I know what he wants. But he won't get it. Not now, at least.
In the distance I can hear him laughing. He's catching up. My heart sinks. I know inside I'll never survive this battle. But I won't go down without a fight. So I stop and plant my feet firmly in the ground. Then he stops and slowly walks towards me with a smug smile on his evil… and gorgeous face.
"Little stubborn one, aren't you?" He asks. Luckily, his accent doesn't do a thing to me. I glare at him and put my hands on my hips. That makes him laugh. "Isn't this a funny situation?" He smiles and clucks his tongue. "The innocent, mortal child, trying to fight for a life she doesn't truly appreciate."
"Clearly you don't appreciate yours, either," I growl.
His smile turns sour, but he stills keeps his calm. "Mm, well, your attitude isn't necessarily helping you, is it?"
"I suppose not," I choke out. "You call it attitude; I call it bravery… which you have none of." He smirks.
"So I've been told." He steps close enough so he can play with a strand of my hair. "But, don't you think it takes quite a bit of bravery to go hunting after someone?"
"That's not bravery," I reply coldly. "That's just being a bastard."
I know that was absolutely the worst thing to say, but I'm glad I said it. Now I'm satisfied. If I have to be murdered, at least I got the last word.
He lunges and tackles me. Even though I'm proud that I made a difference in his mind, I still don't want to die. I'm only fifteen. I scream loudly. Surely, someone can hear me. But not like it could matter. There's no one powerful enough to kill this monster.
He beats me and laughs cruelly and I keep screaming till I can hardly muster a breath, Blood is oozing out of my wounds. My head goes light. He bends down, and I can feel his breath down my neck. I'm afraid he's going to whisper something awful, but instead his takes a finger and opens my mouth. A metal tube-thing goes in and a bitter liquid flows into my mouth. "Swallow," he commands. Suddenly, I do. I don't have control over my own body. What the hell is he?
"Live long," he whispers, and chuckles darkly. Everything goes dark…
Chapter 1: Ever
Damen and I lounge on his couch and watch the TV. But we've been doing that a lot, lately. He sighs and looks over at me. I know we're thinking the same thing; this is as boring as hell.
"What do you wanna do?" He asks.
I shrug. "I have no idea; just not this." He nods and turns off the TV. "What can we do?"
"Summerland?" Usually, he didn't even have to ask; I always wanted to go to Summerland. But today, it didn't feel right; like I shouldn't go.
"Umm," how could I put this? The feeling was totally bizarre, and probably unreliable, too.
"Actually," he said, "maybe we shouldn't go." I look him strangely.
"Why not?" I ask. Maybe he knows what I'm doubtful about.
He shrugs and makes a complicated face. "I-I dunno. It just doesn't feel right." So he did have the same feeling as me!
"How so?"
He puts his hands up. "I can't really explain."
"That's weird, I feel the same way."
Damen stands up and holds his hand out for me. "C'mon, let's go find something to do."
I hesitantly stand up. "What about the twins? Will they be alright?"
He chuckles. "Please. Those two have been around longer than you have!" I roll my eyes, and we walk out the door.
We drive the manifested Mini Cooper down the street. "Where are we going?" I ask.
Damen shrugs. "I dunno. We can probably find something once we get out of this area. It was just a road going through a dense forest.
Suddenly, a silhouette bursts from out of the trees and on the middle of the road; right in the path of our car. "Stop the car!" I scream. Damen stamps on the brake peddle, and the car comes to a halt.
The headlights brighten the road so we can see what we just barely hit. Was it a deer? No, because the figure is still standing there. And it's a young girl, cowering with fear.
She trembles and shakily turns to us, her smoky purplish eyes wide. Damen slowly goes towards her, but she backs away, mumbling something. "No, no," she murmurs. "Please don't."
"Are you alright?" He asks gently. He reaches out to touch her hand, but she screams and backs farther away.
"Don't come near me!" She chokes out. Damen looks back at me with a troubled expression. He motions for me to come over to him. I do, never once looking away from the frightened girl.
She's not human, he says in my mind. The girl opens her mouth. "What was that?" Damen snaps his head towards her.
"What'd you say?" He asks.
"That whispering noise." Damen looks at me, and now he's lost his calm. I know we're thinking the same thing; this girl can read thoughts, even with our telepathic shield.
Damen turns back to her. "Where did you come from?"
The girl shakes her head, and tears well up in her eyes. "Nowhere." Damen looks back at me with an eyebrow raised. Was this girl insane? Or had she just gone through something so terrible that she was scarred for life? Damen opens his mouth, but I hold my hand up. Let me handle this, I say to him. The girl stares at me, but ignore it.
"What's your name?" I ask softly.
"Br-" she chokes and stops.
"Don't be afraid. We won't hurt you. You're safe."
She nods and takes a breath. "My name is Brisa Taylor." I nod and smile.
"Good. Now, where'd you come from?"
"My home." I glance over at Damen. He steps up.
"Brisa, do you need a place to stay?"
"Yes!" She agrees loudly. Then she draws back. "I-I'm sorry," she stutters.
Damen shakes his head. "No worries." He takes her hand and leads her into the car. We start the car and head back home.
